CROSSF I R E
by Shien Hui
Summary: Taken interest by the King, Katsumata Shinki was chosen to join the Red Clan without having to take the entrance test. Having known this, the other clansmen developed a grudge against her. Things soon take a worse turn when she finds herself in a crossfire between the Kings.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 **

I swept my bangs behind. Sweat was tingling on my forehead. My eyes never left the man. I steadied the blade, fingers coiled tightly on the hilt of the _shinai (bamboo sword)_, preparing to attack. I charged. He swung his blade at me but was easily deflected. With a swift strike, on the head, he was knocked unconscious. That had earned gasped from the other gang members.

"Beat it," I said in a threatening tone.

"Don't get too cocky just yet. Wait until leader finds out he'll-

I had the bamboo sword slammed down onto his head. He blacked out almost instantly. The air went still.

"If you come back, I can't guarantee you'll _survive_. You got that…?!" I screeched as I picked up one of the leftovers by the collar. Fear consumed him. I could feel him trembling underneath my hold. Oh the irony, they came here looking for a fight and ended up being trashed single-handedly by a woman.

"Yes-yes, please spare me, Katsumata-

"It's trash like you that _disgusts_ me. Leave."

With that, the three members picked up their unconscious comrades and left without a word. I let out a heavy sigh, watching their fleeting forms.

Why was there always trouble waiting for me? I know a girl like me shouldn't get involved with those Yakuzas or gangsters, but it was a one fight after another. They just keep coming to my training grounds incessantly. I trained in an abandoned basketball court alone. It was a hobby of mine; sword dancing. I've learned Kendo since I was little and by now, I could say I mastered this sport.

Recently, those Yakuzas have been pestering me to teach them Kendo. They were all low-lifes, all they do is create mayhem and pain to others. They have even resorted into violence when I refused their requests. _How was I supposed to teach when I'm still going through High school?_ It was ridiculous, yet they still insist. They were persistent; each time they get trashed, they'll come back with more members in the future.

I untied my hair; those dark strands fell loose till my shoulders. It was tough work. Having to go for high school in the morning and training was exhausting. But if I don't practice every day, my skills will go downhill for sure and being the captain of the Kendo club of the famous _Ashinaka High School_ didn't help much.

Cool air suddenly hit my face. That was when I realized that it was already dark. It would be dangerous for a girl to walk alone in these streets, especially at this time of the night, past _midnight_. But I was used to it. I was dead tired by now and could bet that I had eye bags by now. "Another restless night..." I murmured to myself as I sighed. Maybe I'm just overworking myself…

Or was it because of _fear_, that I'm doing all this?

**HOMRA**

Sensing a pulse against his thigh, Kusanagi whisked out his cell phone. A smile immediately spread across his face.

"_I see her. She's just left the place…,"_

"Follow her. Make sure she comes out unharmed." He ordered.

"Got it,"

His eyes then set on Anna. He gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry for making you stay up so late."

She said nothing at first. But not long later, she said, "A Blue Clansman..."

Kusanagi went still. That was clearly not a part of his plan.

"Watch out there's a-

"_Yata took care of him already. We're going for the girl __**now**__."_

Kusanagi sighed in relief. He can't let those guys get a hold of her before Homra does. If they do, all their plans would be foiled for sure.

"Thanks." He muttered and hung up.

Kusanagi slipped his phone back into his pocket. Now, returning back to polish his bar counter.

Anna shook her head for a moment. Kusanagi merely let out an innocent smile. But that very smile soon faded when Bandou barged in to the pub.

"Who is this girl anyway? Is she that important for the King to see her himself?" Bandou asked, all none too satisfied with the situation.

"You'll find out soon enough." Was his curt answer.

"Does it mean she'll be one of us if she passes the test?" Kakamoto then cut in. By the looks of it, he wasn't too fond of the idea either; but showed no signs opposing Mikoto's decision. Kusanagi could only suppress a frown.

Bandou slit his eyes in annoyance. "That's not the point. She's a WOMAN, right?!"

"Why are you complaining? You might like her in the end…" Kakamoto joked.

"Shut up. There is no way, Mikoto-sama is letting her join Homra. It must be something else...!"

There was silence until Kusanagi let out a sigh. "So…Is there a reason, why you're against this _woman_ joining us?"

"Come on, I'm sure all of us don't need weaklings into Homra. She'll chicken out before-

"Mind what you're saying. She's much better than you think." Kusanagi said, in a way as if he was threatening him.

"How much better? She's just an _eighteen_ year old!"

Kakamoto could only watch the heated argument between both of them. He had gone tired of Bandou's arguments, especially with Yata. At least this was something new to talk about. Honestly, this was quite exciting for him. _Maybe she knows how to cook~~~_

But all they could do now was wait.

"Just who are you?" I asked, my voice laced with poison. My eyes fixed on the one with a bat. Those men were dangerous, I could feel it.

"We're not here to fight. We just want you to come with us," Said the man with the hat.

"Hmph, they all say that…Tell me, what do you call yourselves?"

"Homra. We're HOMRA, under the Red King."

"Never heard of you." I replied tartly.

All of them exchanged glances.

I frowned. I didn't like this, not one bit. But I've been in worse situations. How this was any different, I wasn't sure. They didn't seem like Yakuzas. All of them were quite young and they didn't carry any weapons, besides the bat one of them had.

Maybe I could out run them…maybe the other two men, but not the one with the skateboard. Or should I just finish them off now? There was a glint in their eyes that told me that I couldn't refuse. My hand wrapped around the hilt my _shinai_. Of course it couldn't much damage since it couldn't cut, at _all_. But that was the only thing I could use. It was sturdy. I might be able to deflect some blows if they attack.

I drew the sword, giving them odd looks. "Isn't that…" The skateboarder's voice trailed off.

The one in the hat merely smirked. "It won't be a problem, its bamboo. Take her out, Yata-chan."

The third male remained silent all this while.

"A-Are you sure, I mean she's a-

"A woman? It's Mikoto's order. He'll be here any minute. _So give him a good show._"

My heart beat wildly against my ribcage. _One against one? There was a forth male?_ This was bad. I should go back to my dorms as fast as possible. It might take me a ten minute sprint. I bet there's security at this time of the night. But I'd have to get past these men, _somehow_. The school is in the opposite direction…

I narrowed my eyes into slits; making it less obvious that I was actually looking for a place to escape. There was an abandoned warehouse, I could break in and escape through the back. There will be a shortcut waiting for me at the other side. _But this was my life that I was betting…_

I held my breath and immediately ran.

"5,4,3,2-

I even got a 5 second head start, _bastards_.

"…1,"

"_**Get her."**_

The wind hit my face, I was running a lot faster than I thought. Drenched in sweat, I shivered. But now was not the time to be worried about the cold. The skateboarder was hot on my tail. Just when he grabbed my sleeve, I spun around and smashed the hilt of the sword against his stomach. That had caught him off guard. My sleeve ripped. I fled, successfully crashing through the doors of the warehouse. Darkness enveloped me. I scrambled, hiding behind some of the large metal containers. I bent down clutching my heart, my breathing was unstable. There was a putrid scent here and I tried my best not to puke. I quieted my breathing, hopefully he couldn't find me. Just then, I swore I saw light. There was no doubt. I watched the light flicker, playing with the shadows. It might be a candle or a cigarette lighter. But there was one thing that I couldn't help but wonder. I was sure I saw a _pink flame_.

The light was moving; _he_ was moving. My breath instantly hitched.

_There…! He's coming from the right._

I moved away, slowly with careful steps. I distanced myself from the source of the pink flame. Soon I found myself close to the backdoor, I was about to make a run for it when-

"Found you." I heard him whisper into my ear. I stumbled backwards, stunned by his sudden appearance.

"A _decoy_…" I gasped.

"Damn right…!"

He swung the bat at me, but I blocked the attack in time. He exerted much pressure onto the sword, forcing me onto my knees. With a swift movement, I tripped his legs with a kick. I failed; he did not even lose his footing. Though he was a lean young man, he was much stronger than he looked.

"Too slow."

He caught my wrist and flipped me flat on my back. That was when I saw it, his hands, were on fire. The flames were that of neon pink; mesmerizing yet dangerous at the same time. I could feel the heat emitting from them. I couldn't pull away, my feet were as solid at rock. The whole place grew quiet; so quiet that I could hear my heart pounding….

_What was he…?!_

His hand wrapped around my throat; almost crushing it. But something was amiss. Those flames, they had died down and all that was left was white fumes vaporizing. A grunt left his lips. He was about to slam the bat down at me again, but the hit never made it.

**Yata's POV**

She fainted. If Mikoto had not stepped in, he was sure he could have killed her. He had overdone it a little. But something was strange about her. Though it was natural for a potential Homra member to withstand the flames, but his aura disappeared _completely_ when he touched her. There weren't burnt marks on her neck either. When he released her, his flames returned. Mikoto must have noticed this for he had smirked. Even in the darkness, Yata could make out the King's facial features.

"Good work, Yata." He said, lighting his cigarette.

There were tons of questions clouding his head. Just an hour ago, he was called here without the slightest clue on what he was about to do. When he thought about it now, he might had been a little rough on her.

"Uh, Mikoto-san…Who exactly is she?" Yata asked, curious. Kusanagi and even Dewa had not mentioned anything to him; not even that the target was a girl. She seemed older or somewhere around his age. She had slightly tanned skin. Well, not as tanned as Kamamoto. While they were outside, he could easily tell she was strong, her battle stance had said it all. By the looks of it, she was practicing Kendo not too long ago. One thing's for sure, she is covered in _sweat_; not that he minded anyway. But nevertheless, he was captivated by her beauty. She had natural ash brown hair and aquamarine eyes (they must have been contacts), but it matched her perfectly.

_Wait, what am I thinking…?! I shouldn't be bothered with these types of things…_

_Tsk…women…._

…

…

…

Uncomfortable as he is, he glanced at Mikoto, waiting for an answer. His eyes couldn't help but fall on her form. _Who is she, really?_ _Could she be from another clan?_

Mikoto merely chuckled, letting out a puff of smoke.

"_She's you're new ally, Yata."_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Kusanagi's POV**

"You don't seem pleased, Bandou…" Kusanagi said, stating the obvious. A smile spread across his face.

"How can I be…?! How could she be a member when she hadn't even taken the entrance test?!"

"What makes you think she wasn't going to take it?"

That had apparently caught Bandou off guard.

_Kusanagi knew the truth, according to the King, he said it wasn't necessary for her to receive the insignia. _

"_When do you plan on giving her the test?"Kusanagi asked, his body leaning against the counter._

_Mikoto sat back and looked at Kusanagi, thinking. "The test isn't necessary. Let her be for now."_

_Kusanagi merely raised an eyebrow. "We've got the girl like you ordered. Why wait now?" _

"_The Blues are on to her. I just want to make it clear that she's ours now."_

_Picking up Mikoto's odd tone of reply, Kusanagi went over to take a seat across Mikoto, looking at him straight in the eye._

"_Who is she, Mikoto?" _

…

…

…

"_Someone that I used to know…"_

"I-I someone told me." He strutted. No longer confident of his statement before.

Kusanagi's smile faltered. His eyes wandered away from the bottle of rum he was holding and they set on Bandou. Even through Bandou's dark sunglasses, he could tell he was mad.

"Who told you that?" Kusanagi asked, in a threatening voice.

"Uh- Yata-chan…"

"She's unconscious; Mikoto hasn't decided what to do with her yet." A lie straight in the face.

That had silenced the man.

"What else did Yata tell you?"

"N-Nothing really, just that…s-she was-

"She was what?" Kusanagi questioned. Only Dewa, Yata, Shouhei and Mikoto had seen her in person. He had been researching on her, but had never got a chance to meet her since.

"It's N-NOTHING…!" He shouted slamming his fists on the table. Face flushed.

"If you're _that_ interested, go and visit her."

"I'm not interested at all! But…" His voice trailed off a moment. "Where is she anyway…? The others keep talking about her, yet..."

"She's in the hospital."

"For a whole week?!"

Kusanagi sighed. He hated keeping things from the other members. He certainly knew what was Mikoto's plan with her. But it involves without the knowledge of the other members. Anna knew about it too. But not the other boys. He had Dewa and Chitose to visit her today. Things had gone from bad to worse over the days, according to Dewa. Her heart was failing for unknown reasons and she might be slipping into a coma.

Yata wasn't the one to be blamed though. He did rough her up a little, but that wasn't it. It might have been her powers. In a nutshell, she was a Stain. But what her true ability was, he couldn't tell much. From the information he had gathered, she was pretty much human. She had certainly no associations with the other groups. But the Blues were on to her. The man Yata had trashed was no doubt from Scepter4 and from what he had heard, Munakata wasn't very satisfied. Yet it was a big achievement for Homra. They were now one step away from the others. But that one step just might not turn up in the end, seeing her as she is now, she might just not survive with her health deteriorating like this.

Her powers were growing, according to Mikoto. But all of it had taken its toll on her. When Yata used his flame aura on her, it had no effect. But that proves nothing. This was the second thing that worried him. _If she was found out to be useless…_

But Mikoto was never wrong, was he?

No, he shouldn't doubt his king. But he needed some answers too.

The girl was safe now, but who knows how long.

Kusanagi's thoughts soon ran back to Dewa and Chitose. They should be back anytime soon.

Speak of the devil, here comes Chitose. The doors flew open upon his presence.

That had startled everyone there.

"Aye, aye, what's the rush, Chitose-kun?" Totsuka's voice rang out.

"Kusanagi-san, she's awake…!" The tone in his voice was serious. His face was expressionless. There was no happiness, no excitement, nothing at all. Kusanagi's gaze soon set on Totsuka. He was silent for once, a slight dissatisfaction on his face. It was faint, but he could see right through it. If that was Totsuka's reaction, Bandou's will be-

Kusanagi didn't bother giving him a glance. They were all hesitant to let her in. _That was it. _

Homra had been the most feared group in Shizume city. All of them had a pride and everyone worked hard just to get to the top. They didn't need the weak. If he were the boys, he would think of it the same way. But he was under Mikoto's orders to bring her in. Getting her here was easy, getting the boys to think of her as an ally was just impossible. He could bet that half of them hadn't even spoken to her, let alone bother to see her.

Kusanagi sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Are you okay, Kusanagi-san?" Chitose asked.

There was a pause.

"I'm fine. I'll go see her later…Where's Dewa?"

"He's still with her."

That had aparrantly caught his attention. "He's been with her for a few nights straight?" Kusanagi questioned, impressed no doubt.

The boys gaped a little, not having known this at all.

"I thought he was tracking down the guy who broke our windows?" Totsuka asked, as a smile begins to form on his face.

"H-Huh, oh, you mean THAT guy…Dewa's got him already. Anyway, we managed to list Dewa as her brother. Someone needed to watch her overnight…"

Kusanagi chuckled. "That's rather nice of him~"

"Maybe there are other reasons~" Totsuka snickered.

"Orders were orders, right? We needed to protect her at all costs."

"Indeed, Chitose-san." Kusanagi said as he glanced at Anna.

Anna had her eyes fixed on her red marbles.

"How are things going, Anna?"

She seemed deep in thought and he didn't want to disrupt her. She was already on to _him_. Currently, they were on the lookout for the guys in blue. They had been meddling around for information about Homra. Their intentions were unclear, but it would be nothing good for the Red Clan.

"Hey, Kusanagi-san, does Mikoto want to take a look at her?" Chitose asked, as he flopped himself down at the couch beside Totsuka.

"That sounds like a great idea! How about I get him~?" Totsuka chirped as he jerked out of his seat.

"Alright, let's do that." Kusanagi said with a smile.

Twirling on my heel, I came face to face with him. The muscles in my jaw tightened, still glaring at the man before me. With all the strength I could muster, I shoved him aside. He stumbled, nearly falling. He caught my arm before I could escape. There were gasps coming from outside the ward. The man merely forced out a smile and told the nurses that everything is under control; _at least up to now_. The nurses hesitated a little but left us alone in the end. His grip on my arm was forceful, it hurt.

"LET. GO." I said.

"Please calm down…! We mean no harm. Just please listen!" The man in the hat shouted at me.

"Son of a- You don't give up do you?"

He let out a huge sigh. "We know of your abilities and we would like you to join Homra."

"I told you already! I'm not interested…!"

"You don't have a choice, alright?! If you don't join, you'll be killed one day if this continues on!"

"What makes you think, I'll die?"

"With so many enemies you're making, I would be surprised if you _did_." He retorted.

"I don't need to hang out with weaklings like you. Just leave me alone-

"_**Weaklings? What makes you think that you're stronger than any of us?"**_

My eyes flickered and met a certain boy's stern gaze. It was then I realized that he was none other than my attacker. Eyes darkening, I my hands turned into fists. _What did these people want anyway?_ I was about to shriek once more but those words ended up caught in my throat. _Was it the way he looked at me?_ That murderous gaze of his was enough to shut me up completely and before I knew it, I was surrounded.

"Consider yourself lucky to be a chosen member of Homra, Shinki. Not many will have that opportunity." A blonde man at the corner of the room said. My eyes instantly diverted to him; same goes with the other males. He was much older than the rest, by his appearance. He had a pair of purple tinted shades and his choice of clothing was much more formal compared to the others. He must be their leader.

"I've told you people, I don't care."

"Then tell me, what do I have to do to change your mind?"

"I don't need anything. Just leave me alone."

"Money? It could get you some decent food and maybe even help you through college." He said, tapping his chin. When he received no response from me, he continued. "Or is it power that you seek? _I'm sure then you'll be able to avenge your family's death._"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3  
**

_**What the fuck does he even know?**_

The organ in my chest throbbed when my old memories started flooding in. The pain I have felt was agonizing. The only reason I continued to live in this hell hole was because of _them_; my parents and my brother.

I was with my parents at the time of the murder. It was late at night when I heard a crash. Knowing that my parents as well as my brother were fast asleep, I got up from bed and went downstairs to take a look. I soon found myself in the kitchen. The back door was made of glass sliding planes and that's when I saw the body of a dead bird outside. A naïve little girl I was to fall for such a trick. When I got outside to rescue the poor bird, a hooded man barged into the house, shoving me aside. Everything happened so fast. I was an idiot. Out of fear, I couldn't even scream for help. Running as fast as my feet could take me, I raced up the stairs to my parents' bedroom. I threw open the door to see the man jumping out of the window, escaping.

My entire life shattered. The sight of my loved ones covered in blood was enough for me to go insane. It was not long after I was found along with my parents by my neighbor. Both my parents were pronounced dead by midnight, due to the loss of blood and injuries. They weren't stabbed once but multiple times. Even as a child, I've been told that it was a burglary. All my mother's jewelry and our money were gone. But deep inside, I knew it was a _planned murder_. At the same night, my brother went missing. But not even the police were able to find him. The whole thing was assumed by the police that it was no more than a burglary and kidnapping. _Get it into your think skulls bastards, why take my brother? It was not like he could be used for ransom. My parents were dead. Even if it was ransom, wouldn't there be a phone call by now?_ Months I have waited, yet the police failed to find the suspect. This case was announced closed by the time I hit 13.

Those three years of waiting ended up in vain. There was not even a clue whoever that man was. It didn't make sense at all. The police had checked every corner of the room and not a fingerprint could be found. I was starting to think this was nothing but a terrible nightmare. My family never kept in touch with my other relatives. That had make things even harder for me to locate them. Those few years of solitude, changed me.

I needed _power_. _I drag all those fuckers to hell._

I let out a chuckle. "Power, huh? I see you've done your homework." Switching my gaze from the blonde man to the boy in the beanie, "Apparently you have got yourselves some fighters already. What's the point for a girl like me to get involved?"

"We need you to lend us your strength and in return we'll help you to attain your goals. As simple that." The blonde man replied, with a smile.

"Goals, huh? Ranging from what? If it's about fortune or education, I don't need that shit."

He cleared his throat and tried to ignore my swearing and blatantly rude tone.

"Then what is it that you want? You can just name it. I'm all ears."

"If I said I wanted death? You don't mind helping me bringing down a person or two, would you?"

The whole room grew quiet. Even the confident blonde did not know what to say. All of the members exchanged glances. The beanie boy by snapped.

"If you aren't going to take this seriously, we might as well-

"Whoever said I wasn't serious?" I cut in. My eyes narrowed dangerously.

That had him silent.

That had all of them silent.

That was until a new male entered the room; a man of his 20-s, a red head.

"CHIEF!" Their voices rang my ears.

_Chief? So this was their leader?_

My eyes met with a pair of amber once. I felt myself shudder for some unknown reason. He seemed different from the others. There was something about him which made him look so much stronger than the others. Chills ran down my spine. _What was going on?_

"Just like what Kusanagi said, we all _need you_. If it's power you want. I'll give it to you. I don't care what you do with it. But in return, all you'll need to do join Homra."

My heart was racing and my breathing quickened. _What was happening to me?_

I find it hard enough to look at him in the eye. Whenever I did, I felt my body burning,_ literally._

"Just w-what are you?" I strutted. There was something about this man that I couldn't just pinpoint.

"A King. I'm the Red King, Suoh Mikoto…a pleasure to meet you, Katsumata-san." He said, holding his hands out for me.

I hesitated but shook it otherwise. That had earned a smirk from him. I blushed almost instantly when I withdrew my hand.

He is a tall, muscular and no doubt a good looking man. The most distinguishable feature about him was his crimson spiked hair. But there was something about those golden eyes that seemed so familiar. He wore a plain white V-neck under his leather jacket.

"Wait…How did you know my name?" I asked.

"Do you think our meeting is coincidental? I've been watching you for a long time now. You have potential and Homra needs people like you."

I bit my lip. "What is Homra, anyway?"

"You'll find out soon enough…for now, just relax."

"…Don't expect anything from me just yet….."

**Yata's POV**

That woman had a lot of nerve calling them weaklings. Honestly, they weren't the ones who passed out in a battle. _Oh, how he hated her guts! Someone needed to teach that bitch a lesson…!_ But this was Mikoto-san's decision, so he had no right to object. Whether he liked it or not, Mikoto was never wrong; at least that was what he believed. But of all people, why her? Mikoto didn't even bother with the entrance exam. Many had themselves burnt to death by Mikoto's aura. So why not use it on her? Or was Mikoto going a little too soft, seeing that she was a girl? It was unfair. All of the members who worked so hard to get here thought so too. _Will things be alright with her around? _

_He'll just have to trust Mikoto on this one…_

**Kamamoto's POV**

Something is off about her. Her eyes showed distinct bloodlust in them. Just thinking about her gives him the chills. Mikoto shook her hand; does that mean she's a part of Homura already?

**Dewa's POV**

He let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness that the others came in time. That woman…she was terribly _rough_… The screaming matches with her were just as bad. He might be coming down with a sore throat soon. Scanning the room, most of the members were here, except a few of them, including Anna

Honestly, this girl was not what he had expected. Any other girl would be on her knees begging them to let her go. But she didn't even shed a tear.

Well, Mikoto-san did handle it pretty well. She became much quieter after he had spoken to her. But there was something he couldn't brush off. He expression changed when Mikoto came. She was scared, he could tell. Was it coincidental? Or did she sense something?

His suspicions were proven correct when she said, _"Just w-what are you?" _

It was clear to him, that she must have felt Mikoto's aura. She wasn't normal, from the way she fought Yata. Her speed was incredible to an extent that she might just be as fast as Yata. She was sharp, if Yata was NORMAL, there was a chance he would have lost to her.

Though that doesn't really change anything much if she is unwilling to join Homra. _Not that he wanted her to…_

I woke up in the middle of the night, panting incoherently. There were beads of sweat on my forehead as well as my back. The whole room was freezing cold. I couldn't help but shiver. I wrapped myself with the hospital blanket, but it didn't help much. The whole room was dark. The curtains filtered the moonlight, raining down on my bed. My eyes then set on a figure at the corner of the room.

"Dewa-kun…" I muttered to myself. I shouldn't wake him up… From what I had heard from the nurses, he had watched over me for the past few nights. It was kind of him. Guilt washed over me; I should apologize for what had happened this morning. Sometimes I just get too overboard with things. I frowned. The plastic chair he had didn't look very comfortable.

Grabbing my pillow, I walked over to him with light steps.

I watched his chest rise and fall. He was fast asleep now. Carefully, I placed the pillow behind him. He stirred a little but he showed no signs of waking up. Relief washed over me. Now that I'm awake, I mind as well take a walk. Sleeping too much wasn't very healthy.

Quickly, I changed into my tank top and cargo pants from before and sneaked out. The nurses were nowhere in sight. Just as I was about to shut the door behind me, the door flew open. My breath hitched, when I was pulled roughly into the room. The door clicked shut behind me. He flipped on the lights and before me stood a slightly annoyed Dewa. His piercing eyes were on me and for a second there, I thought he was about to eat me.

"And where do you think you are going?" He asked, still half awake, another hand rubbing the fuzz out of his eyes.

"Masaomi-san… I was just…going out for a walk." I said, trying my best to avoid his eyes.

"A walk? It's 3am in the morning…Or are you just trying to escape?"

"I-It's not that…! I just…can't sleep."

He sighed, letting go of my arm. Muttering something about how troublesome I was, he took of his overcoat. He gave me a long look before placing it over my shoulder. I let out a squeak when he did so. I wasn't sure why; but it was probably just a reflex action. Maybe I was still uncomfortable with the Homra members. He was just like any other lowlife that I had fought. Homra, which I had just learnt today, was like any other street gang; only they possess what they called 'auras'. The Red King, Suoh Mikoto is the most feared of the whole Shizume city. A few weeks back, I was sure one of the men I fought with did mention Mikoto's name.

"_You think you're the best out there…?! Well think again; wait until you meet the RED KING…!"_

_So that was what he meant…_

"You'll get a cold. Wear it and let's go."

My face lit up to a smile. He had a hand around my waist, leading me out of the room. A blush rose across my cheeks. I gave him a long stare. Having seen my expression, he chuckled. "It's not what you think it is. I'm making sure you don't escape."

"Why? You can always stop me with those powers of yours." I blurted out.

"I could but-

Having him said that, I quickly added. "Sorry, I was just curious."

That earned a minor laugh from him. For a moment there I thought I had said something ridiculous.

"I bet Kusanagi-san hadn't mentioned this to you, huh?"

"Mention what?"

"Remembered when Yata-chan attacked you?"

"The skateboarder kid?"

"Yeah, him...A normal human who comes with direct contact with the flames should be burnt or in worse cases…_cremated alive. _Seeing you managed to come out unhurt, I take it you're unaffected by the flames."

It took me quite a while to soak in the information, by then we were at rooftop. Cold air hit me in the face and for a moment there, I shivered. Wrapping Dewa's coat closer around me, I then turned to face him.

"How come? Why am I unaffected?"

Silence consumed the air, he shifted slightly under my gaze. He seemed nervous, but soon he took a step forward.

"In my opinion, I think you might be able to join Homra. People who are qualified to join Homra will be unharmed by the flames…But to get an approval, or an insignia, you'll have to pass the entrance test-

"What makes you think, I'll join Homra anyways, even if the King approves of it?" It came out sharp and just then, he seemed reluctant to go on with this conversation. "Who knows? You might just change your mind. The others are nice once you get to know them. I'm sure you won't regret it,"

I bit my bottom lip. There was a question lingering in my mind since this morning.

"What do you fight for?" I asked suddenly, my hands clenching around the coat.

He seems taken aback with that question for a while but a smile soon formed across his lips.

"What do I fight for, huh? Well…" His voice trailed off. Something seems to have clicked for he raised a brow, looking at me suspiciously. I blinked twice unable to leave his gaze.

This was an answer that I was aching to hear. No doubt, it'll change my mind about Homra. It wasn't the power that I was after. What I had said before, about wanting to kill, _was all a lie_. Though I wanted to avenge my family badly; but I will put that aside for now. Of course, I needed to find who exactly the killer is before I could actually kill them. Even if I joined Homra, how were they going to help me track an unknown killer? I was completely clueless about the man. Well, at least, I thought he was a _man._

He let out a sigh and all of a sudden, he had his hand on my head.

Excitement rushed through my veins. _Was it for power? Or was he facing the same situation as I?_

"Honestly, _**I have no idea**_."

I was completely deadpanned by his answer. But it was his sudden gesture; him ruffling my hair that that brought me back to reality. "Ha, ha, I'm just joking…Well, if you really want to know is….because of a friend. We've been close buds for a long time and sometimes, I just wanted to look out for him. He always gets himself in trouble, but I'll always be there help him. When he said he wanted to join Homra, I thought it was ridiculous…But in the end, I got in as well…and then we met other people just like us. All of us were lead to Homra by different goals, but in the end, we only have one goal left…To protect Homra and repay our debt to Mikoto."

I was speechless, utterly speechless.

_Mikoto, huh? Why does that name sound so familiar?_

Maybe there was more of Homra that I had thought.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

In a matter of days, I was discharged from the hospital once I got to know that my health was stable. I was allowed to return to school again. But…

For me, it was all too suspicious. Why capture me, attack me, then send me to the hospital and finally release me as if nothing had happened. Something told me that this wasn't the end of that. Kusanagi had gave me his cell phone number that very day was allowed to leave.

"Give me a call when you make up your mind. You're always welcome to join Homra anytime."

_He's giving me some time to decide? Before, Homra seemed so desperate before._

"Alright." Was my curt reply.

Just as I was about to leave, I was stopped by one of the members.

"Katsumata-chan, you forgot this."

When I realized who it was, a soft smile formed on my face.

Dewa handed me my _shinai_ along with an envelope. I raised a brow.

"Thank you, Masaomi-san."

I left them, without saying another word.

**Dewa's POV**

A week with her didn't seem all that bad. Honestly, he enjoyed her company. Once he got to know her, she was a lot politer in person; so much politer than before. He got to know more of her past as well as her background.

"What did you give her?" Kusanagi asked, skeptical of Dewa's intentions.

"Don't worry Kusanagi, it's…just a little something to keep her going….."

"You gave her…money?"

Dewa gave Kusanagi a light nod, before lowering his head.

"You and I both know she needs it."

"I see you learned something new about her?" Kusanagi suggested with a box of cigarettes at hand.

"You could say that, well…from what she had said, she grew up in a rough patch."

"An orphan?" Kusanagi questioned. He slipped a cancer stick between his fingers and lighted it.

"Her parents were murdered when she was a child. The murderer was never found."

"I guess that was what she meant before, huh? She wants to kill the murderer?"

"That was what I thought so too…But do you honestly think she'll do that once she joins Homra?"

"Maybe…To be frank, I don't trust her at all." Kusangai took a puff. "Well at least not yet."

"Then why let her go, when we can keep an eye on her the whole day at the pub?"

Kusanagi let out a smile. "Don't worry about it…I'll have someone to keep an eye on her in school."

Dewa couldn't believe what he was hearing. In school? Was he serious?

If Homura got caught spying a student, they'll get in trouble with the Blue Clan again. Hell they might be even sued…! Just the other day they had trashed one of their members. One more offence, they'll get a knock on their door. Dewa's expression was one of hesitance.

"I'll get one of the boys to get into the school as a transfer student."

_Wholly shit, he was serious._

"K-Kusanagi-san…! Are you sure that's alright...?! For how long?"

"…Until I gain her trust."

Dewa sweat dropped. "Then…."

There was a pause. Kusanagi sent him a questioning look.

"Um…don't you think all of us are a little…._old_ to be in high school?"

"Age doesn't matter, as long as you look like a high schooler, everything is going to be fine."

"One more thing, Kusanagi-san…" Dewa's voice trailed off. He swallowed, then meeting his eyes with a pair of hazel ones. "Who- ARE you going to choose…?"

"Hmm…? Isn't it obvious…?_ Yata-chan_, of course."

_He's the only one short enough to be a high school student here…_

**Homra**

"You're mad, Kusanagi-san…! There is no fucking way I'm gonna-

"Hush now, Yata-chan, it isn't so bad. See?" Kusanagi said as he shoved Yata towards the mirror.

Yata gaped, still in shock. _He was going to school again, oh the joy…_

Behind the mirror was an average looking high school boy, in his neat **uniform**, his shirt TUCKED IN WITH A TIE.

"And one more thing~ Beanie, off…NOW." Kusanagi ordered, a grin on his face.

"HUH? There's no way I'm gonna take it-

"Excuse me? Didn't you hear what I had just said? Or shall I confiscate your skateboard for a month?"

"But Kusanagi-san…! ~I just got out of school last year~~! KUSANAGI-SAN…!"

"Don't you think I know that already? Now, off." A sly smirk from the older man was just enough to tick him off.

"Aye, aye, here. Happy?" Yata scoffed as he shoved the woolen material into his pocket. His copper brown hair stuck against his head like a newborn baby's. Kusanagi held back a laugh. "Yata-chan~ Dry you're hair, you can't go around with all that sweat."

"AH—IT'S FINE…!"

"What's fine? You'll scare away all the other kids with that odor."

"There's nothing wrong with a little sweat-

"Are you complaining, Yata-chan?" A flash of Kusanagi's well-known glare was enough to pipe Yata down completely.

"Hai, hai…Understood, sir. I'll go wash up…...later." He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. From a far, he took a small glance at his skateboard, sitting at the corner of the room.

"She might be dangerous so—Can I take it with me?"

Kusanagi eyed him for a while. His then lips curved into a smile. "Fine, you might need it, anyways."

It had took him almost half an hour to get Yata ready. Yata only needed five minutes to change; another twenty to complain.

"Come on, Yata-chan, admit it. You look great."

"Yeah, _dashing_(English)." He said. His words were of pure sarcasm enough to make Kusanagi laugh. A grammar joke coming from Yata couldn't be any more hilarious.

Taking in a deep breath, Yata twirled on his heels, heading for the door. Just as he was about to reach out for the doorknob, the door flew right open, knocking him straight on the face.

"Agh…!" He shouted, backing away. Hands flew up onto his face as he hissed in pain. He could have sworn his nose became flatter after the impact.

"Oh, Yata-chan, I didn't see you there…!" Shouhei. "Are you al-

In a flash, Shouhei was pushed aside by the other boys, all of them screaming for Yata. Some of them were howling while others were fawning all over him. In response, he blushed, _literally_. Yata had his back against the wall now, verbally harassed by the others.

"Aww, doesn't he look cute." Chitose cooed.

"KAWAII…!"

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT. HUH, BANDOU…?!" Yata was now scrambling, clawing himself up the wall when the others started _touching_ him.

"What's your size…?!" Kamamoto asked.

Yata remained silent, still glaring at all of them.

"SMALL." All of the boys gasped.

"I KNEW IT…..! BEAT THAT SHOUHEI, you owe me a thousand yen!" Roared Kamamoto.

"Honestly, everyone knows that he is too SMALL to fit a 'M'" Bandou snickered.

"You asshole. Let's take it outside!" Yata shouted, about to throw a punch before Shouhei stopped him.

"Hai, hai, there's nothing wrong with being small…" His blood immediately ran cold when Yata glared at him.

"One more word and I'll bite your arm off."

"He IS a Chihuahua." Kosuke whispered a gasp. Having heard that, Yata eventually snapped.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Yata's POV**

Kusanagi managed to sign him up and will start school only tomorrow. He'll be staying in the dorms just like the other students. Why is it that because of one girl, he had to go back to school of all places? Just when he thought he was free from all those damned homework, here he was again. Groaning, he made his way towards the entrance when someone stopped him. "Excuse me, could you be Yata Masaki?" A voice called behind him.

Masaki. Kusanagi stated that he should keep his identity a secret here. Kusanagi insisted that he didn't need to change his name; since most people don't even recognize them, unless for Mikoto. Yet Yata still insisted on changing it to a more, _masculine_ name.

Yata spun around, turning to face a young girl. She had shoulder length light coffee hair as well as large olive coloured eyes to go with it. Just like any other students, she wore a dark blue sailor _fuku_ with a deep pink skirt with ruffles inside.

Trying to hide his blush, he looked away. "Yes…and who are you?"

"My name is Yukizome Kukuri. You must be the new transferred student. I was told you should be arriving any minute now…"

"Is that so…?- AH, I-I mean, I don't mind going in alone." Here he goes again sputtering his words, in front of another girl. _What was wrong with him?_

"It's fine, Yata-kun…! I'm a member of the student council. They sent me here to bring you in since you don't have a PDA yet."

"PDA?"

"Huh, didn't your old school have one? Every student in Ashinaka High has one; without it, you wouldn't be able to get out or into this island."

"Sooo….. I'll get one later?"

"Of course, now come on. Follow me…!" Another blush made its way onto his face when she held him by the arm. When she noticed this, she merely smiled. "It's alright. Don't be shy…!"

"I-I'M NOT!"

"Trust me, it's okay to be nervous on your first day. If you have any questions, you can ask me. Or even the other students. Everyone is friendly here; even the teachers."

"Um…ok. Uh, Yukizome…" He called her, in a voice so soft that it was nearly inaudible. He was back in school, that would mean he had to keep things down to avoid trouble. He also needed to learn how to _filter all the profanities coming from his mouth._

"Huh? Is something wrong?" She let go of his arm; confusion written all over her face.

"Just asking, but…do you know Katsumata?"

"Katsumata? I feel like I heard of that name before…Ah! I remember now, I do know a girl named Katsumata Shinki."

_Bingo_, and this was only the first day.

"Katsumata-sempai is the captain of the Kendo Club. She's really really talented. She also one of the most popular girls in school; though it's such a shame that she…" Her voice trailed off, hesitating.

"She what?"

"Well, she's is popular. But only among the senior guys and…._**they aren't all that friendly**_. So I suggest you stay away from them…" She stopped for a moment. There was an uncomfortable silence. When Yata said nothing, she changed the subject. "One more thing, you are a-

"A third year." Yata said, having read her mind. She gave him an odd look but he dismissed it otherwise.

"Oh, I'm a second year. So that would make you my sempai~ Yata-sempai." She giggled.

"Ha, ha, then can I call you Kukuri-chan?"

_Heh, at least he wasn't trembling or blushing now._

"Ok! Hey, you know. You're so nice. I think we'll get along just well."

Was this how it was like talking to an ACTUAL girl? He could get used to this. The only girls he had ever talked to were the extremely quiet Anna, the Tundra Girl, Seri Awashima and let us not forget Katsumata. Well he didn't really talk to Katsumata; seeing that she decided to bitch Homra the other day. If he met her in person here, no doubt she'll get pissed. HAH! She had it coming! Someone needed to change that foul attitude of hers! Kukuri was entirely different compared to all the women he had met. She was a petite girl. Kind, polite, understanding, CUTE; anything a guy could ask for. _Wait, was he falling in love already? _

_No! He was here for the sake of Homra. Not to check out GIRLS._

Taking in a deep breath, Yata replied. _"I-I think so too…"_

Another exhausting day…Just like the usual, it was nightfall now and it was already over the school's curfew. Looks like I have to sneak back into the dorms again. I made it past the school gates already and all that was left was to get back into my room without having caught. Though I got punished several times, it never stopped me. Many people can choose to practice the least twice a week; but not me. I wonder if it was psychological; because my body would go weak if I don't get up and moving a least once a day. I would feel limp and I'll have insomnia later on.

Well the only thing I know is according to the doctor, 'I had a bad heart'; Bad Heart Rhythms to be exact. Though that hasn't really been a problem if I get enough exercise, but just after the incident with Homra, a few days ago, the _symptoms_ have returned. My breathing these days were erratic and the constant stinging pains in my chest worsened my condition.

Tiptoeing through the hallways, I let out a sigh of relief when I reached to my room. A small smile spread across my face. Quietly, I unlocked the door and got inside. Placing my bamboo sword by the table, I decided to take a hot bath.

Removing all my clothes I stepped into the shower; the water was bone chilling. Shivers ran down my spine. The heater broke again, probably. Like rainfall it soaked me from my head to my feet, leaving me presently alert. The scent of green tea body wash filled the air. It sort of reminds me of home.

I could say that my old home was quite oriental. Japan now has long developed into an advanced nation; yet my family still chose to live the 'traditional' way. That is futon beds, bamboo mats, tea for every meal…On some occasions; we even put up lanterns for certain festivals. But the old days were long gone, never to be replaced.

Almost every student in Ashinaka High wants to go home, who doesn't? By the time spring break arrives, the school would be deserted; leaving me and a few others here. I don't see the reason why I should go home…_when I have no family to return to….._

Hopefully, some of my friends would stay; at least I would have some company.

Speak of the devil. There comes a few knocks on my door. Eyes snapping open, I quickly got out of the shower. "Coming!"

I pulled on my pants and an old baggy t-shirt. Dashing for the door, I nearly tripped; but caught myself before I fell. I threw the door open, giving a sheepish smile at the male at the door.

"Isa~"

The he saw me, his eyes grew wide as saucers.

"What the hell happened to you, Shinki?! I thought you were dead!" Isamu said; his hands flew onto my shoulders.

"Don't be ridiculous. I was in the hospital for the past few days…I-I got into trouble with some of the **Homra punks**." I said, flipping my hair back. A grimace plastered on my face. Having noticed that, he shot me a worried look.

"Are you hurt?" He said, scanning for any cuts or bruises. There was none.

"Now, no. But I nearly got into a coma."

"Good God," he gasped. "I told you not to mess with them…!"

"They were the ones who attacked me first…!"

There was a pause. The look in his eyes told me he didn't believe me.

"Really. They started it. I was just going back after training." I assured him.

Again there was silence, as Isamu started running things through his mind again.

"I take it you've seen it, haven't you?" He started to speak, but so low that only I could hear. Dinner was just over and the students were just returning back to their dorms. Plenty of footsteps could be heard down the hallway. Even though, we had the whole place shut; doors and windows closed, I guess he was playing it safe.

"Seen what?" I lied. I didn't want to tell him, at least not yet.

"Don't play dumb. Their _powers_…"

_There he goes again…_

"I-I didn't see anything…There is no such thing-

"There fucking is! I saw them fighting before…! They had those flames in their hands and one of them even managed to melt a friggin' steel pipe…!"

As I thought, he didn't buy it. This guy has been obsessed with that street gang for months now.

"You're losing it,"

"I AM NOT! Now will listen to me?!"

I had my hands on my hips, scowling at him. I'll make sure he never speaks of Homra again. Cruel as I am, it is solely for his own good. _Wouldn't want him ending up in the hospital like me, would I?_

"What…?! I'm already listening!"

"What if I told you…that…." His voice trailed off for a moment. He swallowed. "I was actually thinking of joining Homra…Maybe in a week or two. So that's I'm training harder to pass their entrance test?"

I could not believe what I just heard. Isa was my best friend since middle school and only now he was telling me this; right after I got my ass kicked by them. No way. No way I'm gonna lose him to those lowlifes.

"Why would you…? They're assholes…! You're so much better than them!"

"Come on, you call everyone an asshole. Look- I'm in it for the power. Think about all the things you could do…..Think of the _**privileges**_."

"Privileges? Come on, you honestly believe in that? _**Isa, you're a Strain**_…Everything we've done up to know are hidden from the eyes of the public." I took in a deep breath, jabbing him right on the chest then. "Let me make a point here. Homra fights during broad daylight. That's why they're under the watchful eyes of the police. WE'RE SAFE AND THEY'RE NOT. If you go out there and the Blues finds out that you're a Strain, they'll lock you up for life."

"Silly, Shin-chan, that is what I meant by _**privileges**_…Rumors say that Red King possesses demonic powers strong enough to bring down a **nation**. Barricades, weaponry, tanks…You name it; they can be destroyed with just a single blow. The police can't stop them; no one could, especially when Homra is being led by Suoh Mikoto. What's more is that he is here; in SHIZUME CITY…!"

_**Suoh Mikoto…The crimson haired man….King of the Red Clansmen.**_

When he started to get too close for comfort, I pushed him away, screaming, "Damn it, why won't you listen?! Do you know you're giving up your life for a group of scoundrels? Tell me, what would you do; what can you do with those powers? Fight or-

"I-I…Gosh, Shinki…! You know exactly what my dreams are; I need to get into the nationals no matter what! I just need a little push, you know?" His voice died down. "O-Or I won't be able to go home…I don't want to lose to my _sempai_…"

My eyes softened for a moment. That's right…Isamu told me once before that he made a bet with his sempai; who was national kickboxing champion. Isamu got into a fight with him a year ago and made a bet with him. Ever since then, Isamu hadn't relaxed at all. Just like me, he trains for hours.

Terauchi Isamu fights for his pride.

_But me…Honestly, what do I fight for?  
Isamu fights for his dreams. _

_I fight for a blind dream. I fight for flesh. I fight for blood._

_**I fight for revenge.**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 (Yata's side story)**

**Yata's POV**

"Here's your room…!" Her voice rang his ears as she opened the door. It looked like a comfortable room really. To him, the whole place looked more like a studio apartment. There were 4 rooms altogether; what he was seeing now was just the living room and it was huge. There was a flat screen television along with a large sofa. Not to mention, they had self-customize wallpapers; which he'll no doubt set to red later. He removed his shoes, just before he went in.

Making his way towards the bedroom, he could only gape at the sight. Right before him was a medium sized bed with white and red bedspread; one that he had always wanted. Next to the bed was a wooden study desk with a matching chair. Lastly, by the door was a simple walnut coloured wardrobe. His face lit up when he saw the kitchen. The fridge was as big as a closet; hell, the food inside was just enough to feed him for a whole month. All of a sudden, something caught his eye, there were like five cartons of milk in there; no soda, no juices. Nothing at all but milk. A scowl left his lips. He soon shrugged it off; that was probably the only minus in this place. Other than that, the whole place was amazing.

"So you like it?" Kukuri asked. She was still waiting for Yata outside.

"It's even better than I thought…! Are all the rooms like this?" Yata asked, still smiling like an idiot.

"Of course not. This is the Deluxe room, the best one! You're so lucky~"

"HUH? Isn't that for Hotels?"

"Well, not in our school. After all this school is the best of the best, right?"

"Uh, right." Yata replied curtly. Taking another glance at the room, he felt the urge to just collapse in bed. It was as if the bed itself was calling out for him. But it was not long after he found himself back in reality. "Kusanagi-san must have paid for the room… Honestly, maybe coming here wasn't so bad, after all." He muttered to himself. "Oh man, how long I have been waiting for a room like this…"

Kukuri merely smiled. "You should unpack your things for today. The class schedule is in your PDA. I'll drop by your room in the morning so I can show you to your classroom. Alright~?"

"I can't thank you enough, Kukuri-chan. You've been so…" Yata's voice trailed off, a loss of words. He could feel himself heating up once more. Hell he couldn't even look at her in the eye. It took him quite a while to recover but he managed to spit it out. "Kukuri-chan, you're so kind…"

He could have sworn seeing her waver. "Ah- It's nothing Yata-sempai…! I don't mind helping nice people- Wait, ha ha…what am I saying? I should go now…! Once again, a pleasure to meet you!" She said with a bow. There was no use in hiding it; the blush she wore was clearly visible to the eye.

"See you tomorrow." Yata said, with a smile.

"Yeah, tomorrow." And with that, she left. Yata could only stare at her fleeting form. Yukizome Kukuri, did she just call him nice? That's a first. Yata snickered to himself. Most people would think of him as a violent, viscous, rude young man. Usually, he would be screaming profanities at others but not her. She looked so innocent. If he screamed at her, she might just break. _Hmph…was he going soft already?_

Yata shrugged it off. Time to get down to business, he had to call Kusanagi and wait for orders.

Closing the door behind him, he sighed. Scanning the room, he almost forgot how his old home looked like. But that was years ago since he moved. Taking in a deep breath; the whole place smelled like lavender, he was sure of it. He took no interest in flowers, but he could distinguish this scent from the rest of the flowers because his mother used to love those. Everything in the house had lavender fragrances; ranging from shampoos to floors, to clothes. People used to tease him a lot because of this; that his clothes smelled a lot like a girl's. They even called him by his first name; making fun of it. Of all names, his mother would pick Misaki; it was embarrassing, no doubt. But he wasn't the type who would get angry over his mother like this.

He missed her, ever since he left Osaka. He kept a photo of her in his pocket all the time, no joke. That was how badly he wanted to see her now. But he couldn't, at least not now. Things weren't going well with his family…

His mother raised him as a single mom. Though he couldn't say he was poor; they did have a little income coming in from his grandfather's company. However that didn't last long when his fart of a father came back. Yata didn't know how the fuck he did it; father had sold off his house and not a cent went to his mom. Life was hard then, mom had to work day to night just to pay the rent for a new apartment.

He was 14 then and he damn well knew that the bastard had to pay. Things soon gone from bad to worse when that fucker started turning up by the door and scaring the shit out of them. He chased mom out of the house multiple times when Yata was still in school. During those times, Yata refused to go to school just so he could protect his only family; and that bastard wasn't on the list. Next thing he knew, he had a lawyer to sue his mother for custody. Like what the fuck? He wasn't a 5 year old; why should they be bothered with bullshit like these?

"_Mom. I'm leaving."_

_At first I thought she was going to freak out. But she didn't. She was calm. "Misaki…I'm sorry about everything. I never thought things would turn out this way."_

_She patted on the seat right next to her, motioning him to take a seat._

_It took a lot out of him to remain composed. "I'll leave and return when things get better. That's the only way he'll leave you alone."_

"_What are saying, Misaki? And here I thought you were joking."_

"_MOM! I'm serious…Hideo—He wants me to live with him." Yata completely blurted it out in front of her. Her expression paled and now he could see tears forming in her eyes. This always happens when he mentions about father. The more he thought about him hurting her, the more he wanted him __**dead**__._

"_W-What else did he tell y-you?" _

_Yata found himself frozen. Yata stared down at the floorboards, finding them more interesting now._

"_Misaki, please tell me what he said to you." Her voice was stronger now._

_What was he supposed to tell her; or how was he going to tell her? The __**truth**__ might hurt her. But she needed to know, right? _

"_Mother, I-_

When he felt a sudden vibration in his messenger bag, his thoughts dissipated. When he fished out his cell phone, he blankly looked at it. He gave no reaction; as if he was under a** spell**. The device continues ringing but Yata made no move to answer it. His hands grew shaky and the phone slipped though his grasp.

_**Not again…This is happening all over…...again and again…**_

"_Misaki, have you missed me? It's me, you're old man..." That voice all too familiar voice echoes in his head. Hideo. _

_He calls about twice a week, telling him all sorts of things that he hadn't known. Most of them were about his mother. At times like these, he would have screamed into the phone. Still, in the end he found himself listening to every word that bastard needs to say. If he was trying to ruin his life from inside out, he's doing a very good job._

"_W-What do you want?" His voice was cold. But father should expect no less coming from him._

"_Can't I just talk to my own son? …What's wrong? You seem pretty shaky over there…"He was worried, at least that was what he was trying to SOUND like._

"_I'm not your son anymore."_

"_Don't say that…It just hurts my heart…."_

"_They you should stop fucking calling me…!"Yata was about to slam down the phone when his father said something._

"_Wait! I have something to tell you. I think it's about time you should know about his."_

_Yata kept quiet, uninterested in speaking to the man any further._

"_I know this is sudden but, keep this a secret between both of us. Alright?"_

"_SPEAK, old man."_

_The atmosphere was getting heavier and heavier by the minute. Yata could only wait; knowing nothing good would ever come out of him. Yet, Yata very well knew that every single word he had said was the whole damn truth._

"_Yata Misaki, my son… That woman you're living with now is NOT YOUR MOTHER."_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Yata's POV**

Yata's face twisted in pain. Gritting his teeth, his whole body itched. Glaring at his hand, he could feel it…The blood in his veins, they were boiling with rage; just waiting to kill. He knew this feeling…Fuming, he slammed his fist down on the table; but not with his full strength. Anybody in the right mind knew not to mess up or get into trouble on their first day of school. All these years, those memories haunted him. To think that man was now five hundred over kilometers away from him still didn't change thing. As much as he hated to admit it, he _feared_ that man.

So what if she isn't his real mother? She brought him up. She took care of him. Unlike that bastard who left both of them for another woman.

That bastard was no one. Not his father. Not his step-father.

_Blood is thicker than water?_

**Fuck that.**

Yatagarasu, was a codename given to him by Kusanagi when he first entered Homra. Since them, he used it to replace his real surname. Yata for short. Yata Misaki.

No matter how much he looked like his so-called-father, he would never accept the fact that they were related. Chestnut hair, brown eyes; it was all from him, to his disgust. Speaking of which till now, he still had no news on who his biological mother was.

But she abandoned him for whatever reasons.

In the end, he was brought up by another. His current mother (step-mother, but he still think of her as his real mother), had took care of him since he was little. Even after his father left. She raised him like her own, even as a single mother.

She never blamed Yata for anything; never taking it out of him. Whenever she got angry, she kept it inside. Yata knew she was bottling all those hardships inside her. But whenever he asked her, she would merely say, "Huh? What are you talking about, dear? Mommy's fine. Misaki, come on, smile a little~"

Though she treats him like a kid, to be honest, he quite liked that.

A cheerful and optimistic woman, it's a wonder to Yata how she could control her feelings like that.

_**Dissolve that lie of a smile.**_

"_Please, mother, don't wait for me…"_

_Tears flooded her bloodshot eyes. She embraced him for a moment, but let go when the bus was about to leave. "You really don't have to do this, Misaki…I won't be able to cook for you when you're gone. Who will help you with the laundry and-_

"_Really, I'm fine. Please don't worry about me. I'm old enough to take care of myself now. I'll promise to call you every now and then. If that man ever finds you. Tell me and I'll come back for you, I'll protect you! So promise me, you'll stay safe."_

_He held hesitance in his heart. A part of him wanted to stay; another told him to leave, for her sake._

"_Misaki….Have a safe journey….."_

_Those were her last words before he left. Just when he got onto the bus, he gave her a fleeting glance. That's when his eyes caught it, a smile on her features._

**That was that very same smile he had missed so much…**

A heavy sigh escape his lips. Bending a little to pick up his cellphone, he noticed that it was still in working condition. The call before was from Kusanagi, as expected. Quickly dialing the number he waited.

"AH, MOSHI-MOSHI, YATA SPEAKING…"

"Ah~Yata-chan. So, what's up? Having fun?"

"W-Wait, TOTSUKA-SAN? Isn't this Kusanagi's phone?"

"Ha, ha, it is, but he's a little busy at the moment."

"Huh…?"

"Nothing to worry about…! Anyways~~Did you meet any girls?"

"HUH? O-OF COURSE NOT….!"

"Are you sure~?"

"I-I. WELL, MAYBE JUST ONE…S-She helped me with the school PDA's and stuff…and ever brought me around the s-school…"

"Is she C.U.T.E?"

A small pause from Yata. He felt his heart pounding like there's no tomorrow; all the blood rushing up to his cheeks.

"K-Kinda. Yeah."

There came a snicker at the other side of the phone.

"Huh?"

"By the way, Yata-chan, sorry I didn't tell you this earlier…..But this is in **loudspeaker."**

"**NANI?!*&$#! #!?\$%#%^"**

The first one to laugh was voice which he recognized as Kamamoto, then Chitose and the other guys.

"Having fun there, Yata?!"

"Try to pick up some ladies, would you?!"

"URUSAI! TELL ME WHERE IS KUSANAGI-SAN NOW OR I'LL BEAT ALL OF YOU BASTARDS BACK TO HELL!"

"Yata-chan, I'm here. I'm here. I'm listening…." The other boys piped down, respecting the older bartender.

"A little more information about the girl would be great. There has to be at least a few thousands of students here!"

"Info, huh? Well she's a third year student. She is often seen outside of school, at the abandoned basketball court that Dewa brought you the other day. So she'll probably leave just as school finishes. You might want to try following her."

"O-One more thing, do you have a photo of her?"

"Whatever do you need it for?" Bandou teased. Yata could hear Kusanagi sigh.

"THERE'S TOO MANY FUCKING STUDENTS IN THIS SCHOOL, THAT'S WHAT! DON"T YOU EXPECT ME TOO LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE GIRL AS IF-

"Yata-chan, try to keep it down. The other students will hear you….and don't worry, I'll send it to you later."

"Understood. Thanks, Kusanagi-san."

"No problem. Good luck. Try not to blow your cover~"

"Yes. Understood. Bye."

Yata rolled his eyes, a small smile on his face. It's those idiots who help him through all these years. Everyone there was pretty much like him; everyone had a past, even the King. After hearing their stories, some of them had even been through worse…_Heh, like that Saru_…

**Wait, why was he thinking of that traitor now…?! **

Yata bit back a growl.

_Great, way to dampen the mood_….

His right eye twitched with irritation. But minutes later he shrugged it. Really, he should be working now…Maybe a walk around the school will be nice. He sort of missed his high school days….

_Ah, this is…._

Sliding the door open, he found himself in one of the third year classrooms. He stood there in awe. It was a lot bigger that his old class. Being short, as he hated to admit it, teacher always had him seated at the front; not that he liked it though. Sad for Saruhiko though, he had to sit at the back.

He chuckled. Just then, he caught sight of a rather used desk. Out of curiosity, he made his way over there. Fingers tracing across the table's surface, he felt a bump. Muttering to himself, "This is just like mine…Heh, to think I actually carved a small hole just to let my eraser sit there…"

But that grin on his face soon faded when he felt a sudden presence behind him. Preparing himself for the worse, he was ready to attack. As he spun around, his piercing eyes met with a pair of dark ones. Out of shock, she stumbled back a little. "Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you…"

"Eh? I wasn't scared..." Yata scoffed. Somehow she looked familiar, yet he wasn't sure if seen her before. She wore a pair of thick rimmed glasses, her hair, tied up to a messy bun. She looked a little like the Katsumata girl. Yet at the same time, she looked so much different.

She was silent for a moment. Her eyes, blinking nervously…

_Is she the one? But what are the odds finding her on the first day?_

A blush soon rose on Yata's cheeks, when she continued to stare into his eyes.

"Umm…Sorry, but, I to take my book."

"Huh?"

"It's in the drawer."

"OH, RIGHT." Quickly, his hand darted for a small pink, what he thought was a notebook and quickly handed it to her.

"Thank you." She said, giving him a cherubic smile. He felt himself heating up as he turned away.

"AH, WAIT…!" Yata managed to call out for her. She stopped her tracks, just before she left the classroom. "U-Uh, what's your name?"

"I-I'm-

Her voice stopped when he caught a glimpse of another male. The new blonde swung his hand around her shoulder and proceeded dragging her away. But before she disappeared out of sight, she gave him an apologetic look and he merely brushed it off.

Glancing out of the window, he watched the vast ocean. Though this place is nothing compared to the beach; the scent of saltwater lingered in the air. As time passed, the sun had set below the horizon; forming an illusion of a red sea. There was tint of pink in the waters too; like an ocean of flames.

It was a remarkable sight indeed.

"If only, Mikoto-san would be here to see it," He muttered under his breath, leaving.

"Eh, Katsumata-sempai…! You're still here?"

"Huh?" I stared at him, blinking for a moment. I didn't quite catch what he had said.

"Spacing out? Did something happen, sempai?"

"Uh, no it's nothing…" My voice trailed off; my mind running through what had happened just now. Was that boy really? For some reason, he looked so much similar to that Homra boy. Yet I couldn't be sure. Though I am pretty sure that was him; I mean, what was he doing at my desk?

Everything just seems so suspicious. But I doubt he recognized me, yet I wasn't very sure. It might not take him too long to realize it. Either way, he's here for something else.

"You sure?" He asked, his pale blue eyes on me.

"Really, Leon…Anyways, what's up?"

"You know, the culture festival's coming up really soon…I was hoping, you could help us out a little…"

"Eh? B-But aren't you-

"The student council? Apparently, we don't have much performances going on. So it's either the soccer club or the kendo club has to do at least something…"

"Heh, ask the soccer club, they never help out during the festival…"

"But come on, what are we gonna do? Give the student body a soccer match? No way. They're better off watching it at home."

"What do you want me to do then? A kendo match?"

"Hey, I thought you were more creative than this. I'm sure you can cook something interesting up. Think about it. Don't worry, you still have about two weeks."

"Is the Student Council getting desperate?" I asked, smirking. "Well, whatever, you owe me big time…"

"Fine, fine….."

"One more thing, are there any new students lately? You're in charge of the student log, right?"

"Well, I'm just helping out. Kukuri is the one in charge…Um, yeah, there are a few recently…Why do you ask?"

"Oh. I thought I saw a new face." I said. _Damn, if only I knew the skateboarder's name…_

"Eh…? Oh, a group of exchange students from Kushiro just arrived yesterday."

I grew silent. Yet, this still proves nothing. He could be disguised as one of them….

Gosh, am I thinking too much? Why would he even be here as a high school student? It was just too ridiculous.

Maybe, I'm just paranoid.

_**Or maybe not.**_


End file.
